Chef Des Obeaux took his tally to three from four over timber in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old only has one defeat to his name this season and that came at the hands of smart stablemate Santini at Newbury.

Golan Fortune looked like making a race of it in the straight but he walked through the second-last, losing all chance, meaning Noel Fehily could bide his time thereafter.

Fehily said: “He stays well, he’s progressing very well and maturing with each run. He has a tendency to jump out of my hands and was having a look round late on. He stays well so the Albert Bartlett would look his race.”